., _
S "
_ " A
I Wednesday, September 24, 2008 - The Michigan Daily 5B
the state of the
SEXUAL UNION
Virginity,-condom use and STD rates - how University students
measure up to college students nationwide. And why a college-level
sex-ed refresher course could be necessary.
Rose Afriyie J Daily Staff Writer
IW
often when "sexuality" and "youth" come to mind, it's chil-
dren, because of the innocence capital they possess, society
focuses on first. Whether it's child pornography, regulating
the reintegration of sex offenders, sex education or teenage
pregnancy, it is fair to say that many of the policy discussions
and interventions that have to do with sexuality focus on folks
younger than 18.
While this demographic is deserving of national attention
and political strategy sessions that include them, children
eventually arrive at the first magic number that means some-
thing politically, legally and socially: 18. Unfortunately, the
parameters of sexual advocacy imply that once one becomes
an adult, regardless of whether earlier interventions were inef-
fective-or implemented at all-these former children are on
their own.
While the age of 18 represents an end to sexual surveil-
lance, for some this is also the beginning of a college career.
And while these environments vary some, there are dominant
tropes about campus sexuality. Many
arrive to co-educational habitats being
unsupervised for the first time in their
lives.
The growing pains have largely been
overcome and managed. Acne is under
control, our pubescent markers of
maturity are in full bloom and some are "(STUDENTS)F
in the position where they can overeat,
drink routinely, sleep poorly, not exer- ABSTI N ENCE-
cise and remain relatively unscathed. MARRIAGE P
In a culture that fetishizes youth, A D THEY H
college students are the creme de la N -
creme. And yet the sexual narratives of NOT HI
students are relegated to over-drama-
tized entertainment, with sitcoms and1
reality TV as the sole source of sexual
representation. CH INYERE
one might then wonder, what is U H S SEXUAL H EA
the sexual status of college students?
What sexual behaviors do they engage
in? What are the outcomes of these
sexual behaviors? How does the Uni-
versity compare to the national demographic? What concerns
should students have about their sex lives? And what campus
resources exist that can help us better navigate our sexuality
at such a crucial stage of decision-making and development?
The Statement investigates the state of the sexual union, for
college-aged youth here at the University and nationally.
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR SEX LIVES
In the age of the perceived "campus hook-up culture," it's
not surprising that 99 percent of students surveyed in a 2006
University Health Service study believed that the typical stu-
dent is having sexual intercourse.
But in actuality, the same study found that a whopping 43
percent of University students have never had sexual inter-
course.
Statistics from the 2006 National College Health Assess-
ment and University Health Service challenge several ideas
about.students' sexual habits. Tracking the general health of
college students nationwide, the survey stands as an important
start when assessing the sexual behaviors of college students
and the outcomes of those behaviors.
The study also shows how University students measure
up to college students in general - to compare, 32 percent of
whom had never had sexual intercourse. The University also
fell a little behind the bell curve in how often its students get
some - 39 percent of students had sexual intercourse within
30 days of taking the survey, compared to 49.4 percent, nation-
ally.
Nationally and locally, though, the number of sex partners
college students have yearly proves that the idea that sexual
intercourse prevails is an exaggeration.
Locally and nationally, 69 percent of men and women have
participated in oral sex at least once, with 43 percent of stu-
dents having had it once or more in the
past 30 days. In both pools, anal proved to
be much less common. Eighteen percent
of men and women have had anal sex at
the University, while 25 percent of stu-
dents have tried it nationally. Three per-
cent of University students and 5 percent
HAVE BEEN IN of students nationwide had done it within
30 days before taking the survey.
N LYUNTI L When it comes to "body count" - the
ROG R A M S number of partners one has over a period
VE LEA RNED of time - students both at the University
,, and nationwide challenge the myth of
ING. rampant sexual intercourse.
Only 8 to 9 percent of students at the
University and nationally had more than 4
partners in the past year. On average, stu-
E N EALE dents at the University had about 1.3 part-
LTH EDUCATOR ners with an overwhelming amount, 41
percent, having just 1 partner. And while
the national average is about 2 partners a
year, 45 percentof students nationally had
only 1 partner a year.
Remember, though, you can't infer much about someone's
sexual health from just knowing her or his body count - pro-
tection methods ultimately define STI status in most cases.
More than 90 percent of students nationwide and locally claim
to use some method of contraception, with preferences skewed
towards oral contraception, condoms and withdrawal.
But the percentage of students who actually used a condom
during their last sexual session is shocking. Nationally and
locally, only 50 to 51 percent used a condom the last time they
had sexual intercourse and less than 5 percent bothered to use
condoms during their lastoral sex session.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER
The more pressing question, though, concerns the poten-
tial outcome of students' ambivalence toward condoms: STDs,
Herpes Simplex I [oral Herpes] and they appear
on the genitals," Ernst said.
SEXED, TAKE TWO
When it comes to the spread of STIs at the Uni-
versity, culpability often lies in the kind of sexual
education students receive before they move into
their co-ed dorm hall. A 2007 Universityof Mich-
igan survey of incoming freshman revealed that
less than 25 percent of students had participated
in sex education programs offering informa-
tion on contraception. And less than.30 percent
received information on STI prevention.
What then can we make of the remaining 70
to 75 percent?
. "They may know that a sperm and egg make a
baby," said Chinyere Neale, a UHS sexual health
educator. "But they have not been taught anything
on sexual health, nothingon contraception. They
have been in abstinence-only-until marriage pro-
grams and they have-learned nothing."
Winfield said theomost common reason stu-
dents get tested are the beginning of a new rela-
tionship and a sporadic sexual encounter with
someone. But while there is nothing wrong with
knowing your status on account of another indi-
vidual, there are acknowledged guidelines to fol-
low when exercising sexual self-care.
The timeline for women to start receiving pap
smears is three years after they become sexu-
ally active or by age 21. This includes people of
all sexual persuasions -even those who are not
engaging in intercourse - as a woman can devel-
op abnormal cellson her cervix without ever hav-
ing any kind of sex. Women should also monitor
changes in their vagina, watching for symptoms
like lesions or genital warts.
Men have slightly different guidelines, con-
sidering they aren't vulnerable to cervical can-
cer and that, for reasons that remain unclear,
there currently isn't a sufficient testing method
for.HPV in men. Men can receive HIV tests and
urine tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea.
"Men who are regularly sexually active, mean-
ing they have at least a few oral sex partners and
one sexual partner a year should be tested annu-
ally," Winfield said.
See SEXUAL UNION, Page 7B